Diagnostic full thickness resection—Motility disorders, neurologic disorders, and staging of mucosal neoplasms

Endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR) allows for minimally invasive acquisition of all layers of the gastrointestinal wall. The method was initially developed for therapeutic purposes. More recently EFTR has been successfully implemented for diagnostic applications such as diagnosis of gastrointestinal neuromuscular diseases or as a staging procedure for superficial GI neoplasia in select cases. It represents a step forward from the previous standard laparoscopic tissue biopsy and allows shorter recovery time at the same time decreasing the risk of potential side effects of a major procedure. EFTR has significant diagnostic value in its ability to provide a full thickness gastrointestinal wall specimen allowing appropriate histological review with the potential to determine a therapeutic plan.